Newsletter

Rolling with Ramona: SSU Students on the Move

Spring 2012 brought out the “kid” in a dedicated team from three different Freshman Composition classes (ENGL 1102) at Savannah State University. This voluntary activity was offered to interested students but required commitment for the full semester. In fact, the SSU collegians faithfully visited the three 1st grade classes on a weekly basis. Starting with five students and expanding to seven, the two males and five females read books and then planned a special event around Beverly Cleary’s famous character “Ramona Quimby.”

Some of the those students continued a tradition of volunteering, such as Ta’Nisha Johnson, who started while still a fifth grader, working with younger students; Jessica Williams (who also worked at Thunderbolt Elementary) formerly engaged in events at her church and community.

Nearly every Wednesday afternoon, the students entered the classroom of Ms. Sarah Lucas, Ms. Susan Allen or Ms. Mary Ann Hogan and read an entire book, chapter by chapter, to the 1st graders. But the literacy activities consisted of more than reading: the SSU students learned the 1st graders’ names, taught them the meanings of “college words”—that is, the longer words like “frustration” or “baffled”—and drew pictures or added other information that made the reading enjoyable.

The most exciting event of their literacy efforts involved an outdoor activity labeled “Ramona Fun Day.” The SSU students, along with their professor Dr. Metts, selected different incidents from the novels and turned them into games. For instance, one episode dealt with Ramona’s rain boots being stuck in a deep mud puddle, therefore becoming the “Rain Boot Race,” a relay race where two teams competed while wearing oversized rubber boots. Other games included “Tissue Toss Catch,” “Tooth Treasure Hunt” and “Doll Cake Toss.” The SSU students established the game rules, determined the necessary supplies and then packed each game into its own container a week before they implemented their plans.

The weather turned out perfectly on April 27, the day awaited by both the older and younger students—and the Thunderbolt 1st grade faculty! The classes moved from station to station and after being awarded modest prizes, the youngsters enjoyed a “picnic” of food products mentioned in the Cleary books: graham crackers, marshmallows and fig bars. Ms. Sharon Draeger (principal) and Ms. Rose Milton (vice principal) visited the “game site” to express their appreciation for the SSU effort. The next week, the SSU students wanted to visit the school “one last time” to give their farewells and leave behind a souvenir for each 1st grade class: a group picture of the SSU Haven team.

The 1st grade teachers expressed their appreciation of the college readers. Regarding SSU students Jessica Williams, Monica McClure and Justin Betts, Ms. Lucas remarked that “the children would look forward to [their] coming because of the enthusiasm and care … [given] to each of [her] students. Meanwhile, Ms. Allen commended Tempest Holliman for “showing [the 1st graders] how important being a good reader is to their future years of learning.” On a daily basis, Ms. Hogan reads “picture books . . . in her classroom,” so she applauded Ta’Nisha Johnson and Dustin Russell sharing “the first ‘chapter’ book that they [the 1st grade students] had listened to in order to understand the story.” Ms. Hogan also described the children’s excitement for the “fun activities that were based on” events in the Ramona stories.

The team of SSU students thoroughly enjoyed interaction with the Haven children and look forward to returning for more volunteer work in the next school year!